LSAT Explanation PT 30, S2, Q4: For next year, the Chefs' Union

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Strengthen question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage. The passage claims that the average dollar amount of the raises requested by the Chefs' Union for next year is greater than that of the raises requested by the Hotel Managers' Union, based on the fact that the Chefs' Union has requested a 10% salary increase, while the Hotel Managers' Union has requested an 8% salary increase. This is the conclusion of the argument. The premise is that the Chefs' Union has requested a higher percentage increase than the Hotel Managers' Union.

The argument relies on the assumption that a higher percentage increase necessarily means a higher dollar amount increase. However, this isn't necessarily true, as it depends on the current salaries of each union's members. For example, if the Chefs' Union members have much lower salaries than the Hotel Managers' Union members, their 10% increase might still result in a lower dollar amount increase compared to the 8% increase for the Hotel Managers' Union.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument would be: "What are the current average salaries of the Chefs' Union and Hotel Managers' Union members?"

Now, let's discuss the answer choices for the question, which is a Strengthen question asking us to find the choice that most strengthens the argument.

a) The number of members in each union is not relevant to the argument, as it focuses on the average dollar amount of the raises requested, not the total dollar amount.

b) The power of each union and the likelihood of obtaining the requested increases is not relevant to the argument, as it focuses on the size of the raise requests, not whether they will be granted.

c) This is the correct answer. If the current salaries of the Chefs' Union members are, on average, higher than those of the Hotel Managers' Union members, then their 10% increase would indeed result in a higher average dollar amount increase than the 8% increase for the Hotel Managers' Union.

d) This answer choice focuses on the raises received last year, which does not provide information about the current salaries of the union members and therefore does not strengthen the argument.

e) This answer choice also focuses on previous raises, which does not tell us about the current salaries of the union members and therefore does not strengthen the argument.